Batman (2016-) #54

DC Comics

Writer: Tom King

Artist: Matt Wagner

While Bruce was performing his jury duty, Dick was filling in as Batman. With the court case closed, Bruce was finally ready to go back to his regular nightly activity – beating up bad guys. Dick’s assistance was no longer necessary, so Bruce thanked him and told him he was free to leave. But Dick was not about to leave his adoptive father alone, especially in his current emotional state. He decided to stay around to support him, help him with crime fighting and eat some cucumber sandwiches.

What’s Good

The main focus of the book is the father-son relationship of the original dynamic duo –  Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. The issue jumps back and forth between the past and present. In the past, we see a grieving Dick after he lost his family and Bruce trying to help him process the pain and come to terms with the situation. The present day has the roles reversed – Bruce is in distress after being left at the altar, while Dick is trying to cheer him up and let him know he has his back. 

King’s writing in this issue is fantastic. He adds another layer to the Batgod himself, making him feel more grounded and humane than he’s ever been. It’s not just the grieving part that makes Bruce feel human, but the way he handled Dick’s angst when he was a young boy and how he tried to help him out no matter what. 

His take on Dick is also noteworthy, giving us a playful and cheerful Nightwing, all the while showing us the huge impact Bruce has had on his life. Beyond the crimefighting stuff, that is.

The paneling is another aspect worthy of praise, as the book flows nicely, and it flawlessly switches between the past and present.

Oh and there’s a lot of great villains. Long live the Condiment King!

What’s Bad

Matt Wagner’s art is pretty good, but there was something off about it, and I couldn’t put my finger on what was bugging me. I didn’t understand what was off until I saw Brennan Wagner’s (the son of Matt Wagner) Facebook posts. Brennan was scheduled to be the colouring artist on the book, but DC editorial decided to ditch his work and go with another artist. I knew about this before the book came out since both Matt and Brennan have already spoken out about this, but I didn’t realize what had been lost until I saw his work.

A whole level of atmosphere gone with the wind. In exchange, we got a more uniform and dull look. It’s a damn shame editorial decided to ruin such a great project, especially since the Wagner’s had the complete creative team on their side. I would like to know just why and who decided that this was the best course of action.

And what’s up with those cucumber sandwiches? I mean, they aren’t bad, but they are no lunch food, either.

Verdict

King has proven that he is more than capable at writing bittersweet stories and this book just confirms it. Too bad such a great book has to be accompanied by some unnecessary baggage in the form of editorial meddling.